The Yankees have traded Tyler Clippard to the Nationals for Jonathan Albaladejo.

Here’s some scoop on Albaladejo from Baseball America:

Jonathan Albaladejo, rhp, Nationals

Once called a “fat tub of goo” by a scout in the Carolina League, the 24-year-old bounced around the Pirates system for six seasons before being released this spring. But he was reborn with the Nats this summer, getting called up to the big leagues and establishing himself as a reliable bullpen arm.

Q:James from Miami, Florida asks:
Chris, you’ve covered the Pirates’ system for some time now. How dumb do they look by having let go Jonathan Albaladejo, and then seeing him reach the Majors and do extremely well?

A: Chris Kline: I’ll refrain from using the word ‘dumb,’ but you could run down a list of guys they’ve undervalued from their own system over the years. And really, if there is one guy I wouldn’t necessarily blame them for it’s Albaladejo. This is a guy who got numerous opportunities to prove himself and either showed up out of shape and didn’t perform, or he lacked intensity on the mound. The latter lasted all the way to the Caribbean Series last year when he got absolutely raked by the Dominican Republic. He never showed the ability to bear down. So yes, they should have tried to get something back, but word on the street at the time was no one wanted him. It’s a credit to Albaladejo to take advantage of a new situation and really show what he’s capable of.

Jonathan Albaladejo? Well, based on the reports from Baseball America, he seems like a mix of Hideki Irabu, Chris Britton, and Brian Bruney. At this stage, put me in the “not impressed” camp (on this trade).

Tyler Clippard had guts,so I think that the Yanks pulled the plug too early on him.This reminds me a little bit of the Met’s last year trade of Bannister for Burgos….we all know how that worked out!Albaladejo sounds like a Moneyball player in that he is undervalued(because of his weight),however this sounds like another middle relief fiasco.

I think the Yankees are chock-full of Tyler Clippard level talent. They need bullpen help and they need it know. Probably could make the case that they sold Clip at a low, but he stood little chance of making a positive contribution as the 9th starter.

Yeah, but the 536 minor league innings with a 438-103 K/BB ratio is a good sample to use.

Or, if you prefer: between AA-AAA-MLB last year, Albaladejo had 75 IP, 68 K, 24 BB, and 6 HR. If his fastball is mid-nineties and he’s got another good pitch, this is a great nothing-for-something pickup on the Yankees perspective, and probably a good deal for the Nationals as well… TyClip has a chance to have a good career in the weaker league, in a division full of pitchers parks.

Even if we assume that he is a Bluto Blutarsky type, it doesn’t change the fact that Clippard had become expendable by virtue of the fact that Hughes, Chamberlain, Kennedy, and possibly Horne had moved ahead of him on the depth chart. The whole point of stockpiling young arms is to keep the best of them and trade the rest of them. If Bluto ends up sucking, then the Yanks only lost out on a pitcher whose next start in the majors would’ve come if there were at least two or three injuries to the staff. And if Bluto comes and pitches to at least league average, then the Yanks did OK because, as you’ve pointed out, their bullpen cubbard is kind of bare at the moment.

I hope Clippard goes to Washington and does well. But I wouldn’t bet the farm that we’ve sold too low on him. He’s not going to be much more than a #4 type in the bigs. The Yanks were chock full of those last year anyway.